A Blessing in Disguise
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: On their way back from school, six-year-old Harry and Dudley meet Father Christmas, who hands Harry a present. What happens if Harry meets another Father Christmas later the same day? Compleltey AU, Warning: Not one of my nicer stories, thus the rating!


**A Blessing in Disguise**

It was the last day before the Christmas holidays, and Harry and Dudley were on their way back home from school together with Mrs. Figg, who sometimes collected them, when Petunia was otherwise occupied. Suddenly, they found themselves face to face with a tall man with long, white hair and a long beard, completely dressed in red.

"Father Christmas!" the two six-year-olds said simultaneously, and Dudley stepped forward, while Harry tried to hide behind the old lady.

"Harry Potter I assume?" the Father Christmas like man said kindly, holding out a present that was wrapped in dark blue paper with twinkling stars on it.

While Harry anxiously glanced around Mrs. Figg, Dudley asked boldly, "I'm sure this must be a mistake, and the present is for me, Dudley Dursley, isn't it? My cousin never gets presents." He already reached for the present, when the man replied, "No, this is for one Harry Potter."

"That's me," Harry said timidly and hesitantly took a step forward to accept the present. "Thank you, Father Christmas."

The man bowed slightly, before he turned on his heels and strode around the next corner.

Harry couldn't believe it. '_Father Christmas brought me a present_,' he mused happily. '_That's the first time. Maybe he finally noticed that I'm really a good boy_.'

However, they had barely reached the Dursleys' home, when Dudley grabbed the present from Harry, shouting, "That was only a mistake. Anyone knows that you don't get presents, you freak."

"No. Give it back," Harry said stubbornly, throwing Mrs. Figg a help seeking look.

However, the old lady merely said, "Let's see what's in it anyway."

Harry observed sadly how Dudley greedily opened the present that originally had been meant for him. Carelessly throwing away the blue wrapping, he turned to the green box that was inside. However, as soon as Dudley touched the box, he was whisked away together with the box, causing Mrs. Figg to let out a horrified shout.

"Dudley! Oh no, where might they have taken him?" Turning to Harry, she said, "I'm going to take you with me to my place. You're not safe here tonight!"

Harry hesitantly followed the old lady across the street, wondering, '_Where did Father Christmas take Dudley?_' He settled down on the sofa in Mrs. Figg's living room, surrounded by half a dozen cats, pondering the matter, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

HP

Several hours later, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Potions Master entered the Headmaster's office, a stern expression on his normally blank face.

"Hello my boy, what can I do for you?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly, offering his younger colleague a lemon drop in spite of knowing that it would be refused anyway.

"Albus, word reached me that the Death Eaters around Lucius Malfoy captured Harry Potter."

"My alarms didn't go off though," Dumbledore replied calmly, looking at two glassy devices on his desk. "How sure are you that the news is authentic, Severus?"

"Fairly sure. Lucius Floo called me earlier. He went to hand over a Portkey to the boy, disguised as Father Christmas, and the Portkey took the boy straight to the Lestranges, who are holding him, until the Death Eaters decide what to do with him."

Dumbledore headed to the fireplace and called Mrs. Figg. "Arabella, I need you to go to the Dursleys and enquire is Harry is all right. If so, I'd like you to bring him here. He doesn't seem to be as safe at the Dursleys as I assumed."

Mrs. Figg hurriedly told the Headmaster the whole story, and five minutes later, Harry was standing in front of the second Father Christmas he met in one day. However, this time, Father Christmas didn't give him a present; instead, he offered him a better childhood at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Harry accepted happily.

**The End**

_As you know, I'm not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


End file.
